Appeals (Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure)

These pages are for employer use only. Member information can be found on the home page.

If a member isn’t happy about a decision you’ve made about their pension, they've the right to appeal. They can do this through the internal dispute resolution procedure (IDRP).

Members should contact you before following the IDRP. Sometimes, if there’s a misunderstanding, or miscommunication, this can be explained and put right.

However, if after contacting you they’re still unhappy, they should follow the IDRP.

First stage appeal

The member should write to your nominated appeals person. This should be within six months of your decision.

Second stage appeal

If they aren’t happy after following a first stage appeal, they have a further six months to make a second stage appeal. This should be sent to the person nominated at the administering authority.

After IDRP

If the member still isn't happy after going through IDRP, they can appeal to The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO).

TPO solely deals with pension complaints. They can help if a member has a complaint or dispute about the administration (including transfers) and/or management of their pension.

Some examples of types of complaints it considers include:

auto enrolment

benefit queries - incorrect calculation/refusal/failure to pay or late payment

charges/fees

death benefits

failure to provide information/act on instructions

ill-health

interpretation of scheme rules/policy terms

misquote/misinformation

There is no financial limit on the amount of money that TPO can make you award. Its determinations are legally binding on all the parties and are enforceable in court.

Contact with TPO about a complaint needs to be made within three years of when the event(s) the member is complaining about happened – or, if later, within three years of when they first knew about it (or ought to have known about it). There is discretion for those time limits to be extended.